Some of the state's savviest attorneys and media professionals come together to present a hands-on program for attorneys speaking to the media or advising clients on how to deal with the media.
This three-hour program will feature sessions on attorneys in the media and clients in the media and include a one-hour panel discussion chaired by attorneys and public relations specialists who compare their diverging views on hypothetical media scenarios. It all takes place May 7 at the Tennessee Bar Center in downtown Nashville.

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This is an appeal from the grant of a voluntary dismissal. The plaintiff homeowners' association sued the defendants in general sessions court for dues owed. The homeowners' association was awarded a judgment. The defendants appealed to the circuit court below, seeking a de novo hearing. For several years, the appeal remained pending with no activity. In the meantime, the defendants sold the subject property. The judgment due to the homeowners' association was paid by the purchaser of the subject property to remove any cloud on the title. Having been paid, the homeowners' association filed a notice of satisfaction of judgment in the circuit court. The
defendants filed a motion to set aside the satisfaction of judgment. The circuit court entered an order dismissing the defendants' appeal. The circuit court later denied the defendants' motion to set aside the satisfaction of judgment. From that order, the defendants now appeal. We find that the circuit court order is not final and appealable. Therefore, we dismiss the defendants' appeal for lack of
jurisdiction.

Betty Rewcastle Hutcheson; Katherine Grosvenor Hutcheson; James Eric Hutcheson, John L. Hutcheson, IV; and Marion Housch Hutcheson, II ("Petitioners") filed suit seeking appointment of a conservator for Thomas R. Hutcheson ("Respondent"). After a trial, the Trial Court entered an order finding and holding, inter alia, that clear and convincing evidence existed that Respondent was
a disabled person under Tenn. Code Ann. section 34-1-101, et seq. and section 34-3-101, et seq. and that Respondent needs assistance of the court under Tenn. Code Ann. section 34-1-126. The Trial Court appointed both a conservator of the person of Respondent and a conservator of the property of Respondent. Respondent appeals to this Court. We affirm.

On November 13, 2007, Amanda Shamblin died as a result of injuries received in an automobile accident while riding as a passenger in a vehicle being driven by Joshua Sylvester ("Defendant"). The decedent's father, Fred A. Shamblin ("Father") retained attorney Joseph H. Crabtree, Jr.,
("Crabtree") and immediately filed suit against Defendant. After the case settled for the insurance policy limits of $300,000.00, the decedent's mother, Rosanna Vestal ("Mother"), who had not participated or otherwise been active in the settling of this lawsuit, objected to paying any attorney fees out of the one-half share of the settlement proceeds she was entitled to under the wrongful death
statutes. Following a hearing, the Trial Court determined that the settlement proceeds constituted a common fund and Mother was a passive beneficiary of that fund, and, therefore, she was obligated to pay a reasonable attorney fee to Crabtree. The Trial Court then determined that a reasonable fee was one-third of the settlement proceeds. Mother appeals, and we affirm.

Plaintiff filed a claim for personal services to decedent in his probate estate proceedings. The Clerk and Master heard evidence on the claim and reported to the Court that plaintiff was not entitled to recover. The Trial Judge confirmed the Master's report on the basis that there was no contract between the parties for the claimed services, and invoked the presumption that the services were
rendered by a family member out of love and affection. On appeal, we affirm.

League of Women
Voters
of Tennessee President Judy Poulson writes in the News Sentinel that the league believes
"our merit selection system of choosing appellate court judges has worked well in Tennessee and should be continued. We need fair, impartial, independent judges who will follow the law and not be subject to the whims of politics."

Retired law professor William Tabac claims the
the government's conviction of Jimmy Hoffa on jury tampering charges 45 years ago included some prosecutorial misconduct.
Nashville attorney James Neal, the special prosecutor who convicted Hoffa in 1964 in Chattanooga, calls the claim "baloney."
But the petition from Tabac was to be heard today in a Nashville courtroom by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Todd Campbell.

Although Justice Clarence Thomas has not asked a question from the Supreme Court bench since 2006, he opened up to a group of winners of a high school essay contest recently.
He talked about his own school days, his burdens and his dark moods and about seeking inspiration in speeches and movies. And though the dinner was sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute, he admitted to an uneasy relationship with the whole idea of rights.

State legislators, lobbyists, and election officials all say that Tennessee needs new voting machines. WPLN's Jacqueline Fellows and Joe White discuss what all three sides can't agree on: what to buy, when and how much it will actually cost.

The April 2009 edition of the ABA Journal features an article titled "Catch Me If You Can," that details the fraudulent career of Howard Kieffer, who passed himself off as an attorney in at least a dozen states where he was able to convince clients, lawyers, judges and courts that he was a licensed attorney. Kieffer's fraudulent career brought him to Tennessee in May 2004 where the U.S. Attorney's Office ultimately learned from the Justice Department, " ... we have reason to suspect he's not licensed to practice law."

Online legal research is now available free to all Tennessee Bar Association members through an agreement with Fastcase, a leading online legal research firm. The TBA member benefit is national in scope and offers TBA members unlimited usage, unlimited customer service and unlimited printing -- all at no cost.